Peter O'Reilly Diary - 1879
| dc.contributor.author | O'Reilly, Peter | |
| dc.contributor.author | Vancouver Island Local History Society | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-03-23T17:03:00Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-03-23T17:03:00Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1879 | |
| dc.description | Transcription of the diary of Peter O'Reilly for the year 1879. The original document is housed at the Royal British Columbia Museum & Archives, O’Reilly Family Fonds (MS-2894), Microfilm Reel A01909, Box 2, File 7. | |
| dc.description.abstract | DIARY SUMMARY JANUARY Ice skating at Skinner’s Pond – Mrs Roscoe and children leave Victoria for England after the death of Francis Roscoe – Victoria Gas Company pays another dividend – Peter O’Reilly holds court at New Westminster - granite monument installed at Ross Bay Cemetery with inscription for Mary O’Reilly (1869-76) and Charlotte Trutch (1799-1876) – John Trutch lays out location of new stable at Point Ellice and draws a plan. FEBRUARY Apple trees and roses pruned – two pairs of “spectacles” arrive from England for Peter – Robert Ker, who emigrated with Peter O’Reilly in 1859, is found frozen to death in a snow drift near his Craigflower home – work commences on the new stable – court at New Westminster. MARCH John Trutch plans alteration to the O’Reilly home - Investment proceeds sent to Colonel Francis Ellis in Ireland – gardening and pruning continue – new road built to stable – court at New Westminster - stable is completed and the old building torn down. APRIL Site of old stable planted – The Union Club of British Columbia opens with Judge Matthew Begbie as its first president – court held at New Westminster, Yale, Lytton, Kamloops, and again at New Westminster. MAY Kathleen “Puss” O’Reilly and schoolmate Alice Ward in theatrical performance at Angela College – Flagship HMS Triumph exhibits an electric light - work commences on a house alteration and excavation for kitchen, “Everything in confusion & discomfort” – county court at New Westminster. JUNE Caroline “Carry” O’Reilly takes care of Lydia Ward during her illness – work on the house alterations continues, drains deepened, pipes laid – court at Yale, Lytton, Ashcroft, and Kamloops. JULY Court at New Westminster – house alterations complete with new kitchen – gas company dividends and loan investment interest paid out – Kathleen O’Reilly receives good marks at Angela College – Synod Executive Committee meeting. AUGUST Hay harvested from Fairfield – Peter pays Union Club membership – six-year-old Jack O’Reilly rides his first horse – piggery built at Point Ellice – Peter departs for his court circuit. SEPTEMBER Court at Yale, Lytton, Ashcroft, Kamloops, New Westminster – bird hunting with Charles Thomson – Peter promises to support Senator Clement Cornwall in exchange for a deal to purchase cattle – Peter raises money to help Reverend Jenns. OCTOBER Fund contributions presented to Reverend Jenns – Peter and Caroline O’Reilly visit Esquimalt Graving Dock under construction - court at New Westminster followed by bird hunting – death of Ward baby – John Trutch’s wife Zoe returns from San Francisco after an absence of eight months. NOVEMBER Arsenic prescribed for Peter’s headaches - death of well-known Victoria hardware merchant Ermenegildo Grancini – court at New Westminster, Yale, Lytton, and Ashcroft. DECEMBER Court at Kamloops and New Westminster – Steamers Reliance and Glenora sink on Fraser River – murder of John Ussher - Peter provides toys for the children in Ashcroft and Victoria. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1828/21994 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | Peter O'Reilly | |
| dc.subject | British Columbia | |
| dc.subject | Victoria (B.C.) | |
| dc.subject | Point Ellice House (Victoria, B.C.) | |
| dc.subject | civil service | |
| dc.subject | history | |
| dc.subject | 19th century | |
| dc.title | Peter O'Reilly Diary - 1879 | |
| dc.type | Other |